At First Sight
At First Sight
We had been walking for days in search of something which we did not know. They (the gods) talked of an eagle that would mark the territory, our new settlement. This took a toll on the men, but just as hope was beginning to diminish I, myself, saw something extraordinary. In the distance was an eagle perched on a cactus in the middle of what looked to be a lake, and in its grip was a snake. This marked the beginning of our grand city. The mighty eagle upon the cactus represents many things in our growing society. It symbolizes not only our control in power, but the will of our people to face the many challenges we will have to face. As for the snake it is the face of our enemies, and will do no such harm to our thriving people. Without the eagle we would be nothing. It is a symbol to our society and is the reason we have flourished this far. It puts the strength in our warriors and the hope in the hearts of our people.
A Letter by Christopher Columbus
1. What impressed Columbus about the land he discovered? Columbus was impressed with the beauty of the lands. It contained extensive plains and extraordinary pine groves. It was rich with honey and had many different birds and fruit.
2. Where did Columbus think he had landed? Columbus thought he had landed in Asia.
3. What did Columbus offer to the king and queen of Spain? Columbus offered the king and queen of Spain gold.
4. According to Boorstin, what information did Columbus omit from his letter to Santangel? Why? Columbus did not mention disasters or near disasters, such as, the insubordination of Martin Alonso Pinzon, the commander of the Pinta or the loss of the Santa Maria. He also excluded the precise distance covered and the information on the courses taken. This was done to keep competitors from following in his footsteps.
5. Evaluating Information: Based on Columbus’s letter and Boorstin’s comments on it, do you think
We had been walking for days in search of something which we did not know. They (the gods) talked of an eagle that would mark the territory, our new settlement. This took a toll on the men, but just as hope was beginning to diminish I, myself, saw something extraordinary. In the distance was an eagle perched on a cactus in the middle of what looked to be a lake, and in its grip was a snake. This marked the beginning of our grand city. The mighty eagle upon the cactus represents many things in our growing society. It symbolizes not only our control in power, but the will of our people to face the many challenges we will have to face. As for the snake it is the face of our enemies, and will do no such harm to our thriving people. Without the eagle we would be nothing. It is a symbol to our society and is the reason we have flourished this far. It puts the strength in our warriors and the hope in the hearts of our people.
A Letter by Christopher Columbus
1. What impressed Columbus about the land he discovered? Columbus was impressed with the beauty of the lands. It contained extensive plains and extraordinary pine groves. It was rich with honey and had many different birds and fruit.
2. Where did Columbus think he had landed? Columbus thought he had landed in Asia.
3. What did Columbus offer to the king and queen of Spain? Columbus offered the king and queen of Spain gold.
4. According to Boorstin, what information did Columbus omit from his letter to Santangel? Why? Columbus did not mention disasters or near disasters, such as, the insubordination of Martin Alonso Pinzon, the commander of the Pinta or the loss of the Santa Maria. He also excluded the precise distance covered and the information on the courses taken. This was done to keep competitors from following in his footsteps.
5. Evaluating Information: Based on Columbus’s letter and Boorstin’s comments on it, do you think